The large spectrum of Spitzoid tumors: a retrospective survival study.

BACKGROUND: There is no universally-accepted classification of Spitzoid tumors. This makes it difficult to assign a correct diagnosis and select a treatment that minimizes the risk of overestimating, or worse, underestimating, the malignant potential of these tumors. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical-pathological and epidemiological features of Spitzoid tumors, as well as to assess mortality in these patients. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study looked at data on Spitzoid tumors excised in 1999-2012 at the Dermatologic Clinic of the Turin University Hospital. Spitzoid melanoma specific survival curves were generated with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. RESULTS: In this time period, 1663 lesion were described at the pathologic report as Spitzoid. 262 (15.75%) were Spitz nevi, 307 (18.46%) Reed nevi, 827 (49.73%), 810 (48.71%) Spitzoid dysplastic nevi, 17(1.02%) atypical Spitzoid tumors, and 267 (16.06%) Spitzoid melanomas. Median follow-up time was 9 years. Out of the entire cohort only 24 patients died from melanoma. All of them received a diagnosis of Spitzoid melanoma. None of the patients with a diagnosis of not melanoma Spitz tumor died for melanoma during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In the large majority of the cases, Spitz tumor should be considered as benign lesion and excised only if melanoma features are seen. The used clinical pathological classification avoid misdiagnoses, inappropriate treatment and the risk of death for melanoma.

Usefulness of Photodynamic Therapy as a Possible Therapeutic Alternative in the Treatment of Basal Cell Carcinoma.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer in individuals with fair skin type (I-II) and steadily increasing in incidence (70% of skin malignancy). It is locally invasive but metastasis is usually very rare, with an estimated incidence of 0.0028%-0.55%. Conventional therapy is surgery, especially for the H region of the face and infiltrative lesions; in case of inoperable tumors, radiotherapy is a valid option. Recently, topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) has become an effective treatment in the management of superficial and small nodular BCC. PDT is a minimally invasive procedure that involves the administration of a photo-sensibilizing agent followed by irradiation at a pre-defined wavelength; this determines the creation of reactive oxygen species that specifically destroy target cells. The only major side effect is pain, reported by some patients during the irradiation. The high cure rate and excellent cosmetic outcome requires considering this possibility for the management of patients with both sporadic and hereditary BCC. In this article, an extensive review of the recent literature was made, in order to clarify the role of PDT as a possible alternative therapeutic option in the treatment of BCC.

Effectiveness of extracorporeal photochemotherapy in the treatment of a case of refractory erosive lichen planus.

Erosive lichen planus (LP) is characterized by painful, multi-focal erythematous-ulcerative areas affecting mucosal oral and genital areas. Topical therapies are usually ineffective, whereas systemic steroids and immunosuppressive agents are frequently associated with a wide spectrum of side effects. Herein, we presented our positive experience in the treatment of a case of multi-resistant erosive LP with extracorporeal photochemotherapy.

Zosteriform cutaneous metastases: a literature meta-analysis and a clinical report of three melanoma cases.

BACKGROUND: Despite frequent skin involvement with solid tumors, zosteriform metastases are a rare, not well-defined entity, with only few cases published in literature. The unifying characteristic is merely topographic: cutaneous lesions were distributed along dermatomes, despite the variety of clinical features, including vesicobullous, papular, and nodular lesions. Several theories have been proposed to explain the pathogenetic mechanism of zosteriform dissemination, even if none was adequately proved. OBJECTIVE: In this article, we report three new cases of patients with melanoma with skin zosteriform metastases and present a meta-analysis of literature data. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We collected all Entrez-PubMed articles about zosteriform skin metastasis since 1970 and reviewed 56 cases, including our own taken from a 4,774-patient series. RESULTS: The histotypes mainly implicated were melanoma (18%); lymphoma (14%); breast cancer (12%); squamous cell carcinoma (12%); and digestive (10.7%), respiratory (10.7%), and urinary tumors (7%), with other histotypes accounting for 14%. In only one case in our series did we describe a typical herpetiform pattern, whereas in the others we found papulonodular lesions with a dermatomeric distribution. CONCLUSION: Cutaneous metastases with zosteriform pattern are rare and show a wide clinicopathologic spectrum that could affect the disease course. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.